Unlocking the Secrets: How Disney Masterfully Marketed Hulu's 'Paradise' Without Revealing the Twist

Spoiler Alert

This article contains spoilers from the series premiere of Hulu’s “Paradise.”

In an overly saturated media market, it’s challenging for any show to break through. This challenge intensifies when networks can’t answer the simple question: “What’s it about?”

For Hulu’s new political thriller drama, “Paradise,” starring Sterling K. Brown, James Marsden, and Julianne Nicholson, the marketing team took an honest yet mysterious approach. They aimed to protect the twist at the end of the first episode while generating excitement through various strategies, including:

• TV spots and online promotions
• Influencer collaborations
• Skywriting across major U.S. cities

Disney Entertainment Television's marketing chief, Shannon Ryan, explained the strategy: “We took a phased approach by seeding out a little bit at a time with a focus on the mystery, the world, the stakes and spotlighting the incredible performances.” Influencer screenings were held to capture viewers' reactions, emphasizing the unexpected twist without revealing too much.

“Paradise,” from the creator of “This Is Us,” follows Xavier Collins, a Secret Service agent entangled in a murder mystery after the former president he protected is killed. The twist? The entire story unfolds in a massive underground bunker.

The marketing plan began six months prior to the premiere, balancing the rollout and asset coordination through a meticulous Google doc. Hulu's teaser trailer drew 43 million views, and the January trailer surpassed 65 million views, leading to a marketing blitz across TikTok, Meta, Reddit, and YouTube.

In a clever move, the premiere episode was launched early on Hulu and Disney+, generating a significant surge in viewership, especially after a major NFL playoff game. Ryan noted, “The sampling strategy was simple: if viewers could experience the twist, they would hopefully be hooked.”

The sampling continued with the premiere airing on ABC and FX, maximizing reach. The marketing team plans to leverage the reunion between Brown and Fogelman from “This Is Us” to attract viewers by highlighting the emotional depth of the show, akin to its predecessor, despite being a thriller.

Now that the twist is out in the open, the marketing team can fully reveal their strategy for the remaining episodes of the season. As Ryan stated, “The next beat for us is a killer post-launch trailer.” Fans are encouraged to speculate about the show’s direction as the twist is no longer sacred, and their reactions will be integrated into the ongoing marketing campaign.